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VMRC denies petition to impose temporary moratorium on Chesapeake Bay menhaden reduction fishing
Summary
After hours of testimony from fishermen, conservation groups and industry, the Virginia Marine Resources Commission voted 6–2 to deny a petition asking the agency to pause industrial menhaden reduction fishing in the Chesapeake Bay until bay‑specific abundance and impact data are collected.
The Virginia Marine Resources Commission voted 6–2 on April 21 to deny a petition that sought a temporary moratorium on menhaden reduction fishing in the Chesapeake Bay.
The petition, filed as Rulemaking Petition No. 449 by Tanya O'Connor, asked the Commission to pause industrial purse‑seine reduction fishing until Virginia has bay‑specific data on menhaden abundance and the ecological impacts of removals. O'Connor argued that the Commonwealth's own scientific advisor, the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, has described bay‑level menhaden data as “woefully inadequate,” and said that state law (citing Va. Code 28.2‑203 and 28.2‑204.1) requires management decisions be based on abundance and impact at the bay scale.
O'Connor told the Commission that,…
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